Happiness Event Recap and Celebration

Sustainable Seattle is getting a reputation for putting on fantastic events. I say this as a completely unbiased source; Sustainable Seattle events with the aid of collaborators, performers and our dedicated donors truly are unique and wonderful outings that inspire, educate and entertain.

The Good Sheppard Center as a venue is beautiful. Our event corresponded with sunset and the stain glass windows colored our faces with reds, blues and yellows as Alan AtKisson took to the stage to perform a few of his witty and insightful songs and deliver a informative speech about the history of Sustainable Seattle. He spoke about the first meetings, the intents and the decisions that the group of founders made back in 1991 with a few winks and rib pokes to his fellow founders as they listened, shouted out anecdotes and laughed and laughed.

The night was a collection of talks, songs, music, potent potables, documentaries and socialization. The night started with a powerful performance by local band "Now We Are Six," a group that reminds one of "Muse," "Spoon," and an early "U2." We all crammed into the space which was not sufficient for the amount of revelers that arrived and we sampled food, booze and mingled with the founders raising a ruckus that lifted our hearts.

We showed a film documentary from the early nineties where the founders were featured talking about the launching of Sustainable Seattle. The crowd laughed, jeered and cheered when their younger versions of themselves spoke to the camera about their vision of the future. Many people shouted out at the screen yelling advice like "Get a haircut!" or "Shave!" The film brought back memories and challenged us as many of the issues and problems that the younger versions of the founders brought forth still are problems that we have yet to be solved.

We exceeded our fund-raising goals even when you include the ten percent offering that we are turning over to the Red cross for Japanese Tsunami relief. We would never had made our goals if not for the generosity of every single donor that reached deep into their own pockets and gave to an organization that is creating and maintaining innovated programs, projects and communication that will lead us to be more happier, more sustainable and more content.

Thank you for anyone who gave and thank you for any who attended, spread the word either word of mouth or social media. We really appreciate it and we will use your time and trust to bring about our mission "to be a resource and catalyst for positive change," by continuing to tie all of our work to our Happiness Initiative work.

Our programs and projects are based in and supportive of our indicator work. Our Happiness Initiative propagates and permeates all of our work. We are focused on the results and we have re-crafted and retrofitted all of our existing programs to be aligned with the Happiness Initiative. We are measuring our success and our work by the nine domains of happiness and targeting those domains in which the greater Seattle area scored low upon. We have even created a new program that focuses on individual actions and lifestyle changes called The Flow Campaign.

We owe a tremendous debt of gratitude to all our partners and collaborators including: Taylor Shellfish, Honest Tea, Dry Soda, Yes! Magazine, Essential Baking, Ideal Network, EOS Alliance, Now We Are Six and many more. THANK YOU!

Film Festival Success: How to put on a great event.

The former school for wayward girls is an imposing building with narrow east facing windows and a campus of manicured lawns and driving lanes. The Good Shepherd Center in Wallingford did bring one’s thoughts to shepherding those lost sheep back into the fold of the flock, as well as stop any signs of social shenanigans. It was also the location of the first annual Environmental Film Festival brought to fruition by Sustainable Seattle on Thursday February 11, 2010.

Driving up to the venue you pass the neighborhood of Wallingford on your north and south and pass commercial districts, restaurants and gas stations before entering a purely residential area where homes are pulled back from the two way, park on both sides of the street, area.

People began filing in past the table manned by Marketing Director Gabriel Tevrizian to collect the last minute donations and suggested price for entrance. Gabe was welcoming and excited as more and more people came, filling the venue to its capacity.

The atmosphere was relaxed and friendly with Taylor Shellfish Farms providing organically grown oysters and other shellfish with the only requirement of the participants to enjoy their fair.

Also there were pastries from Trophy Cupcakes and the gathering was dotted with staff members from Sustainable Seattle ready and willing to engage with the participants.

Before the film festival began there was an informal session of chatting and networking as participants and staff shared their passion for the environment, sustainability and practical solutions to some of the concerns that brought us to this screening.

The films from filmmaker/consultant Shelly Solomon were beautifully shot around the concept of sustainable community development around shellfish, reclamation projects and natural farming.

The first film was a documentary on the reclamation project to save the Pinto Abalone in the Puget Sound. The film focused on a project spearheaded by the Puget Sound Foundation to bring back a native species that has seen a steady decline in its numbers since the fifties.

In the middle of the film festival there was a panel discussion with a few of the principles of the films with the audience asking questions ranging from sustainability to profitability. The panelists were gracious and informative and they shared in simple, truthful terms the challenges and rewards that their work in sustainability has brought them.

The conclusion of the evening saw people with smiles on their faces, ideas in their hearts and a renewed appreciation for the efforts that are happening right in our backyards to increase the likelihood of future generations to enjoy the beauty and bounty of our blessed region.